Sukkot 2021: Learning from the Early Church about Unity with Diversity

We live in times of political division and cultural turmoil, and these divisions pose challenges for Christian congregations.  In a series of three lectures at Church of the Messiah on September 25, 2021, Rob Wilson looked to the early centuries of Christianity for guidance in dealing with today's challenges. 

Rob noted that this is a wonderful time to study the world of the early Christians, since there is so much information available about their world.  Archaeological finds like the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Cairo Genizah fragments have given us greater knowledge of that world.  The Bible comes to life when we see it in its original setting.  When Jesus declared, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), he did so at Sukkot or Hanukkah in the shadow of the large menorahs in the Temple area.  His words have even greater impact when we picture them in that setting.

Christianity began in first-century synagogues, and the synagogues of that time were a decentralized network of small communities.  There was no central doctrinal authority.  Rob mentioned that the New Testament explicitly mentions 24 cities with synagogue communities, and there were an estimated 480 synagogues in Jerusalem alone.  

On the margins of those synagogue communities were lots of Gentile "God-fearers," non-Jews attracted to the God and scriptures of Israel but who had not converted to Judaism.  Many of these people became Christians, so that early Christian communities included both Jews and Gentiles.  They were led by the apostles, with the Jerusalem Christ-followers being preeminent.

After the unsuccessful Jewish revolt, however, tension between the Christ-followers and the Jews who did not follow Jesus increased, and the two groups began a painful process of separation.  By the late first century, Christians were meeting in lots of small house churches around the Mediterranean world. 

New Testament scholar David deSilva presents a picture of what Christianity might have looked like in Ephesus in AD 89 in his book A Week in the Life of Ephesus.  At that point house churches in Ephesus may have included

• those that grew out of Paul's ministry;
• those that were opposed to Paul;
• those connected to the apostle John's ministry;
• those that were opposed to John;
• groups that belonged to none of these categories.   

There was a lot of diversity here.  Rob pointed out that diversity doesn't necessarily cause disunity.  It is schism that we are to avoid, not diversity of viewpoints.  Amid the diversity of the early Christians, unity emerged around the thing they had in common---Jesus, their Messiah and Savior (Col 1:13-20).

In today's divisive world, we should also strive for unity in Christ.  The wave of populism that has swept through the world promotes an "us versus them" mentality that we should resist.

Christians regularly meet to consider the Scriptures.  Rob also presented information about the Jewish lectionaries of Jesus' day.  One model was a cycle of readings from the Torah, prophets, and psalms that was repeated twice in seven years.  Church of the Messiah's semi-septennial reading cycle is patterned after this model.  Each week we trace key ideas as they are developed through the Bible. 

Sukkot 2021: 1 Kings 8---Dedicating Solomon's Temple

 Solomon began the construction in about 966 BC, in the fourth year of his reign (1 Kings 6:1).  This was 480 years after the Exodus, which would have occurred in about 1446 BC.  Construction was complete about 7 and a half years later, in the 11th year of Solomon's reign (vv 37-38).  

The temple was dedicated the following fall at the Feast of Tabernacles.  This was one of the biggest festival celebrations in Israel's history, and a high point of that history.  For a brief period the nation was united and experienced a spiritual rest (see 1 Kings 8:62-66).

During the celebration the Israelites were reminded of how God had been present with them during their wilderness wanderings, when they had lived in tents.  During that time God had promised that he would guide them into Canaan and choose a location there at which to place his name (Deut 12).  Now, almost 500 years after the Exodus, God had carried out his promises and was present at the new temple (1 Kings 8:1-11).  Representing the nation, Solomon expressed Israel's thanks (vv 14-21).

At that point it would have been natural for Solomon to sit back and congratulate himself on a job well done.  Instead, in a memorable prayer---one of the greatest prayers recorded in the Bible---his thoughts turned to the future.  He had high hopes that the temple would be instrumental in helping Israel fulfill its mission to bring blessing to the nations.  People would see this wonder of the ancient world and be impressed with it and the with God it honored (vv 41-43, 59-60).   

But he knew that this building, as impressive as it was, was also just a tent or booth in some sense.  God could choose to leave the temple, as he had chosen to come to it, and Israel's possession of the land depended on its faithfulness to the covenant.  From Lev 26 and Deut 28, Solomon knew that Israel could  face serious punishment if it abandoned God.  From God's promise to David (2 Sam 7), he knew that the rulership of his descendants on the throne of David could depend on their obedience to God.  

And so on the day the temple was being dedicated, Solomon prayed for God's mercy in the time of Israel's future exile (1 Kings 8:46-51).  Solomon knew from Deut 30 that he was praying according to God's will.  God's mercy, rather than Israel's apostasy, would be the last word.   

God had promised that the throne of David's kingdom would be "established forever" (2 Sam 7:16).  And about 1000 years later, God sent Jesus, from the line of David.  At a later Feast of Tabernacles celebration, Jesus declared, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water' " (John 7:37-38).  In the future there would no longer be a temple building, but God would be present in a body of believers through his Spirit. 

Those believers look forward to the time when God will be present with his people forever (Rev 21:3-4). 

Sukkot 2021: God as Teacher

 In the book of Exodus, we see God as Deliverer and Redeemer.  We also see him as Teacher.  In presentations at the Church of the Messiah Sukkot celebration on September 25, 2021, Kyle Kettering explored this important biblical picture of God, expanding on his remarks from September 18.  

Kyle observed that teachers are patient with their students.  They know the limitations of their students and don't give up on them.  We observe these characteristics of God in the Exodus account, where God patiently deals with the fear, anxiety, and complaining that the people exhibit during the journey to Sinai and at Sinai.  

Whom does God teach?  Psalm 25:8 says that God "instructs sinners in the way."  For those who humbly turn to God for guidance, as David does in Psalm 25, God provides that guidance.  Isa 30:20-21 also pictures sinners receiving instruction in the way to go.  

If God instructs sinners, the Talmud says (b. Makkot 10b), how much more the righteous.  For example, God promised Moses at the burning bush that he would teach Moses what to say when he came before Pharaoh (Ex 4:12).  

God teaches us in many ways.  He teaches everyone through general revelation, through the creation (Rom 1:18-32).  

He teaches us through his word.  Remember that the word "Torah" means instruction rather than "law."  In a broad sense, Torah includes all the spiritual instruction of God's word and its corollaries.

Jesus is a teacher, not just a carpenter.  When Nicodemus came to see Jesus, he confessed, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God" (John 3:2).

God also teaches us through the Holy Spirit--e.g., Luke 12:11-12.

Why does God teach us?  Because we need it.  God created us, and he knows that our thoughts are "but a breath" (Ps 94:11), so he "teaches man knowledge" (v 10).  

God also teaches us so that we will teach others, as David showed the desire to do (Ps 51:12-13).  The recipients of Hebrews are criticized for still needing basic instruction when they ought to be teaching others (Heb 5:12).  

The Talmud (b Sotah 14a) asks what it means to "walk after God"?  The answer:  To do what he does.  God teaches us, and so we should teach others.  

One audience member at Kyle's presentation asked him why he was making use of post-biblical rabbinic literature.  Kyle observed that there is much to learn from it.  The fact that rabbinic literature contains much of value illustrates the fact that God does not give up on his students.  He is still Israel's teacher.